Mountain biker airlifted to hospital following cardiac arrest

A MOUNTAIN biker was airlifted to hospital after suffering a cardiac arrest while competing.

The man, described as middle-aged, became unwell while taking part in an event near Peebles in the Scottish Borders on Saturday.

The biker was given CPR after being attended by an event marshal, members of Tweed Valley bike patrol and other competitors who happened to be medically trained.

Members of Tweed Valley Mountain Rescue Team (TVMRT) were on the scene within four minutes with an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) and provided a “life-saving” electric shock to the casualty.

Rescue team leader Pete Matthews said: “I’m extremely proud of how the TVMRT members reacted to the incident.

“All members of the team train hard to deal with a number of potential scenarios and it’s great to see that our medical and incident management training kicked into play.”

Dr Alex McDonald, TVMRT medical officer, said the incident “shows that a combination of basic life support training and having early access to an AED makes a real difference in the short time period after a casualty suffers a cardiac arrest”.